The Latest
2019

The Latest: 2019

Welcome to the hub for accessing all our latest posts! Easily sort through content by date to quickly find what you’re looking for — you’ll never miss out on the latest updates here.
A woman holding a bottle of aspirin.
9 Under-Appreciated Ways to Use Aspirin Around the House
Aspirin is a staple in just about everybody’s medicine cabinets. But beyond its medicinal purposes, aspirin comes in handy for many uses at home, with applications ranging from laundry aid to dandruff treatment. Especially if your aspirin tends to expire before you see the bottom of the bottle, these household uses will allow your go-to pain reliever to do more than just that.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
Time to Get Spooky: The Best Halloween Decor Finds for Every Style
It’s that time of year again—Halloween! And why should kids shopping for costumes have all the fun? Treat your house to a little bit of festiveness, too. But first, decide what your spook style is: glam goth and scary, modern and minimalist or classic/throwback. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, there’s plenty out there for you to pick from for both indoors and out. Just for you, here’s our Halloween decor shopping scouting report.
Danielle Blundell
May 3, 2019
Your Halloween Mantel 3 Ways: Modern, Glam Goth & Classic
It’s officially October, which means it’s time to bust out the pumpkins, pull the skeletons out of your closets (literally, not figuratively, of course) and get festive. Whether you like to keep it simple with chic white pumpkins, prefer the glam goth look via black velvet and brass skulls, or display your classic jack-o-lanterns and not-so-scary bats with pride, we’ve got you covered with ideas no matter what your Halloween style.
Arlyn Hernandez
May 3, 2019
I Became A Mother In That Chair
Ashlee Gadd is the founder of Coffee + Crumbs and the author of “The Magic of Motherhood: The Good Stuff, the Hard Stuff, and Everything In Between.” We ordered bunk beds yesterday. It was an inevitable purchase, I suppose, after having two boys in two and a half years. When we found out our second baby was another boy, I remember thinking: Someday they’ll share a room, probably bunk beds.
Guest of Apartment Therapy
May 3, 2019
People Who Basically Never Wash Their Jeans Are Actually The Best Kind of People
There are a few conversation topics that remain off limits today. Polite company (if they want to remain polite) might not touch politics. Coworkers often avoid talking about their salaries. And unless you’re very close friends, you probably don’t ever feel brave enough to reveal how truly filthy you actually are at home. Thankfully you don’t have to.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
Which Lindsay Lohan Had The Better House in Parent Trap?
Although I was the grown age of 22 by the time my parents split up, I was still hoping for a fabulous Parent Trap ending. Not the one where my parents reunite, but the one where I get to live on a California vineyard AND in a London townhouse. If you don’t remember, in the 1998 remake of the Parent Trap, Lindsay Lohan plays Annie James and Hallie Parker, twins separated at birth and fortuitously reunited at summer camp.
Ali Kelley
May 3, 2019
How Two New Yorkers DIYed a Stylish, Functional Kitchen in Only 38 Square Feet
To share a mere 478-square-feet with another human has its challenges. But to share and successfully use only 38 square feet of kitchen space is even more impressive! There were many design dilemmas facing Ali and Chip when they purchased this small Brooklyn apartment three years ago, but none so mammoth as the task of making a teeny tiny kitchen work for two people who enjoy cooking.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Fixer Upper Is Ending After This Season
Sad news for Fixer Upper fans: The HGTV renovation show’s fifth season will be its last. Chip and Joanna announced the news this morning on their blog, citing the need to “catch our breath for a moment.” The couple have been going full force with the show, its spinoff, books, and new products, including a line for Target called Hearth & Hand that debuts in at the store in November.
Tara Bellucci
May 3, 2019
The #1 Reason People Finally Remodel Their Kitchens
There are so many reasons to remodel your kitchen. You just bought a house and you hate what’s there now. Perhaps you finally saved up some money and can afford the change. Or, you plan to sell the home in a couple of years and think new cabinets will appeal to buyers. All good reasons, but do you want to know the most common thing that pushed people to finally take the plunge and redo their kitchens? #1 Reason: Because homeowners just can’t stand their current one anymore.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Before & After: A Modern Boost for a Dated Brooklyn Bathroom
A few weeks ago, when I wrote about square tile being the new subway tile, the response, from a lot of you, was a hard no. Many people in the comments agreed that subway tile was classic, whereas square tile reminded them of either truck stops or icky, bland ’70s and ’80s bathrooms.
Nancy Mitchell
May 3, 2019
A Hard-Core IKEA Hack for a Rental Bathroom Makeover
IKEA’s IVAR collection is a very versatile system, with different ways to configure storage, and made of unfinished wood that’s a virtual blank slate for paint. But, in a recent makeover project, the big question became: could it become the centerpiece of an inexpensive rental bathroom makeover? Erika’s bathroom suffered from a distinct lack of style, so I wanted to start with a great vanity in a fun color. One of my first thoughts, when on a strict budget, is usually IKEA.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
The One Thing You Need To Know Before You Install an IKEA Bathroom Sink
IKEA’s instructions are in(famous), with their illustrated diagrams, lack of words, and the oddly bulbous “IKEA man.” For the most part, with some head scratching, you can figure them out. But, as we discovered in our recent bathroom makeover, when it comes to installing a sink, the Swedish retailer left out one major detail, which is essential to the job. Read this before you shut your water off and get to work.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Author Kate Inglis Has Crafted a Magical Career & Home in an Old Sea Captain’s House in Nova Scotia
There were just two things a young Kate Inglis wanted to be when she grew up: a professional roller skater and an author. “Only one so far has panned out,” reports the YA and children’s book author (If I Were a Zombie, Flight of the Griffons, and The Dread Crew) and the upcoming adult non-fiction book Notes for the Everlost: A Field Guide to Grief.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Danielle Steel’s Desk Is Truly a Sight to Behold
A woman opened the door to her office. Powerful, successful, creative, she seemingly had it all. But something was missing. Love? No, with millions of adoring fans she had that in spades. Family? No, she was a mother of nine, the matriarch of a warm and happy home. She leaned back into her 4 inch high heels and took stock of the room. As she cast her eyes over her writing desk she knew in an instant what she needed. She scrolled through her Rolodex, “yes, artisans?
Nora Taylor
May 3, 2019
The Horror Inside: Looking Back at the Interiors of American Horror Story
Oh, American Horror Story. You have such campy, spooky promise, and when you deliver, you really deliver. The scenery was always a draw: even when the plot flailed, the sets gave your eyeballs a treat. Now that AHS is gradually leaving Netflix, queue up your television and relive the architectural highlights, before the episodes disappear like so many bodies. Begin with Hotel, arguably the weakest season and the first to get the axe.
Rosamund Lannin
May 3, 2019
Bringing New Possibility to a Rental Bathroom with Pegboard Walls
For our most recent budget makeover, I was working with a double whammy on the walls: textured surfaces on the top half, and oddly-cut sections of beadboard paneling down below. Combined, everything looked bad and very slapped together, not to mention dingy and depressing. In order to inject some style, I needed an inexpensive solution that was also practical enough to work in a bathroom. My solution? I replaced the awful beadboard with crisp white sheets of pegboard!
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
30 Home-Refreshing Ideas You Can Tackle in 5 Minutes or Less
We’re on a mission to do something good for our homes each weekend. Sometimes we have to roll up our sleeves and tackle a dreadful, somewhat thankless task that simply must get done. Other weekends, we do something that feeds the soul for the week ahead. This weekend, rather than a deep-dive in one particular area, we’re going to blitz around our homes and attack a handful of 5-minute tasks. Turns out you can get a lot done in five (or 10, or 15) minutes.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
You Can Visit Laura Palmer’s House From Twin Peaks — If You Can Be Cool
A starring turn on television, much like it does for actors, can also make a house famous — or infamous as the case may be. That was what happened to this picturesque Everett, Washington colonial home. The house took center stage on TV’s cult hit Twin Peaks, during its original two-season run from 1990-1991, as the home of the fictional murdered teen Laura Palmer.
Marni Epstein-Mervis
May 3, 2019
The Most Bohemian Casual Living Rooms of All Time Are in This Country
Bohemian-style living rooms scream cozy, comfy, and “come sit awhile.” Characterized by lots of green plants, layers of color and pattern and a healthy mix of eclectic furnishings, bohemian living rooms are also budget-friendly! In fact, the more vintage, often the better. Though there are plenty of great examples of bohemian living room lounges in the States…there’s one country that seems to be knocking it out of the ballpark.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
This Book Will Help You Become the Plant Person You Want To Be
Is it just me, or was 2017 the year everyone became obsessed with plants? I can barely remember to drink enough water myself, let alone keep houseplants alive, but I so admire the plant lady lifestyle. I want to fill my apartment with ferns and flowers and feel a little extra life in my home, but without a naturally green thumb, I need a little help, and I can’t be alone in that, right?
Brittney Morgan
May 3, 2019
Is Renting Your Clothes the Key to a More Organized, Minimalist Wardrobe?
Paring down your wardrobe can make your life so much easier—less clothing takes up less space, and keeping your options to a minimum makes getting ready quicker. But on the other hand, it can be a challenge: what if you still want the option to try new trends and experiment with different styles without buying more and more clothes? If you’re in this boat maybe it’s time to try a clothing rental service.
Brittney Morgan
May 3, 2019
Before & After: Saying So Long to a Stucco Exterior
The exterior of Erin’s home was not only weathered and not particularly stylish, it appeared to be falling apart. They decided to tackle a major exterior overhaul while living in the house, and lived to tell the tell. Five weeks later they had a gorgeous new exterior that pays homage to the historic character of her neighborhood. From Erin: Our two bedroom, one bath, ~1,000 square foot row house previously had a stucco front which had been placed over the original brick exterior.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
May 3, 2019
Sherwin-Williams Announces Its 2018 Color of the Year
If you’re over the hues of 2017, you’re in luck—paint companies are steadily releasing their trend reports, along with their 2018 Colors of the Year. Today, we have the pick from Sherwin-Williams, which is “mysterious,” “opulent,” and “inspired by wanderlust.
Tara Bellucci
May 3, 2019
What Hacking Teaches IKEAHackers’ Jules Yap About Life
These days, I prefer weekdays to weekends when it comes to my IKEA trips. Why, you ask? Well, as if it isn’t obvious, it means less crowds and more leisurely wandering the aisles, sans pressure. What am I looking for exactly? Maybe I have a simple list of items I need for a closet makeover, but then I spot a serving bowl that would make a perfect pendant light. Or I go in for some picture frames then can’t help but notice a kitchen cart that would be the perfect bar cart.
Amelia Lawrence
May 3, 2019
The Best Home Decor From H&M Home (According to These Designers)
Whether in-store or online, any fan of H&M Home will tell you it’s their one-stop shop for stylish and inexpensive home decor. However, what they won’t tell you is that figuring out what to buy when you’re overwhelmed with tons of options can be tricky, so it’s important to have an idea of what products you’re interested in ahead of shopping time.
Caroline Biggs
May 3, 2019
Turn Your Black Thumb Green With the World’s First Smart Planter
Get growing, even if you have a completely black thumb, thanks to these new smart planters that connect your container gardens to an app that tells you when to water, prune, and harvest food plants and constantly monitors the weather, soil conditions, and your plants’ every need for you.
Melissa Massello
May 3, 2019
Here’s How I Tripled My Storage Space This Weekend for Less than 20 Bucks
For someone who lives in the scorching-hot-nine-months-out-of-the-year South, I have a surprisingly large amount of blankets and over-sized sweatshirts. The blanket collection has been growing ever since I left home, with quilts my mother has gifted me, vintage afghan blankets I’ve found while thrifting, and a glut of cheap throws I always buy any time I spot one on sale at TJ Maxx or Target.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Nearly Every Inch of This Bronx Apartment Is Covered in Cutouts
Name: Lori Mooney, a TV producer who also runs the website TV Travels with Lori. She shares the apartment with her cat Prancer. Location: Bronx, New York Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, renting “I usually describe the decoration of my home as a ‘visual assault.’ I like a million colors coming at me as soon as I walk through the front door,” explains TV and entertainment superfan Lori Mooney, of the incredibly one-of-a-kind apartment she rents in the Bronx.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before & After: Dramatic Updates for a Brooklyn Bathroom
If you’ve ever lived in an apartment with an old, crumbling bathroom, you recognize Janna’s frustration with her Manhattan bathroom. “No matter how much we cleaned, it never felt clean,” she said. The small bathroom was dominated by an enormous seven foot tub, as demonstrated by the “before” pic above. In addition to the less-than-ideal layout, the walls and floors were in bad shape, the toilet leaked, and the vanity was beginning to fall apart.
Nancy Mitchell
May 3, 2019
On Team “No Top Sheet”? Here Are 3 Things You Need to Know
Amidst vociferous feelings on both sides of the debate, many millennials are famously abandoning top sheets. But along with traditionalists and Xennials like me (I’d never do it), the bedding industry mostly hasn’t caught up with this probably-here-to-stay trend, because top sheets do serve an important purpose as part of a sheet set.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
How To Customize IKEA Kitchen Cabinets, No Carpenter Required
IKEA kitchens—and bathrooms and wardrobes—are super-popular, but sometimes you want to kick things up a notch and move past the ubiquitous IKEA look. These six companies craft cabinet fronts, panels, and more in a wide variety of materials, colors, and styles. Some of them will even work with you to create fronts in custom colors and styles. Design your basic IKEA kitchen layout, and then head to one of these companies to make it the kitchen of your dreams.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
One Room, Many Windows? Pro Tips for Choosing Window Treatments
While having “too many” windows may sound like a good problem to have (hello, vitamin D), treating multiple windows in one space is often a task best left to the professionals. With so many variables involved, it’s hard to know what treatments will look good together until the installation is complete (aka once it’s too late).
Jessica Isaac
May 3, 2019
Beck’s Latest House Flip is a Hygge Tudor in LA for $3.75M
With a new record dropping on Friday called Colors, it might be shocking to Beck fans that the Grammy-winning 90s icon is actually more of a fan of neutral palettes — at least, that is, judging by his last two Los Angeles renovation projects in as many years. The LA-native musician and his wife, actress Marissa Ribisi (twin sister to Giovanni, known best for her role as redhead Cynthia in Dazed and Confused), are quickly making a name for themselves as adept home flippers.
Melissa Massello
May 3, 2019
This Cheap, Chic Decor Basic Is the Finishing Touch Your Windows Need
Window treatments are one of the most powerful decor tools. Some curtains serve physical functions like blocking light or providing privacy, but the magic of curtains lies in their visual strength. Curtains add softness to typically rectangular or square windows. They draw the eye upward, preventing rooms from feeling too bottom heavy. They can frame furniture arrangements for effect, or they can add balance and symmetry to an otherwise eclectic composition.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Tiny Paper Plants That You’ll Have to See to Be-Leaf
For plant lovers who’d rather leave watering routines to the horticultural pros, allow us to point you in the direction of Barcelona-based paper artist and set designer Raya Sader Bujana’s miniature paper plants. The little leafy replicas are so eye-catching you’ll instantly want to lean in for a closer look at the details. It’s hard to believe what Bujana can do with only paper as a medium.
Kenya Foy
May 3, 2019
Rachel Bilson Starts Over in Historic $3.25M Mid-Century Home
Following a much-publicized recent breakup with longtime fiance Hayden Christensen, and an insult-to-injury robbery, actress Rachel Bilson and her young daughter are getting a fresh start with an inspiring new home perfect for two ladies starting over. High in the Pasadena hills above the Rose Bowl (and the Kidspace Museum, for toddler Briar Rose), Bilson’s new $3.
Melissa Massello
May 3, 2019
8 Creepy Yards That Are Winning Halloween on Instagram Right Now
I love Halloween, but in the making costumes, eating candy, and drinking a cocktail while asking “and who are you supposed to be?” kind of way. When it comes to the actual scary stuff, I’m the first to cry and run for my life. I jump a foot when a pin drops, fast forward through tense movie scenes, and avoid haunted houses as if my life really depended on it. And thanks to these yards on Instagram, I’m now going to sleep for the next month with all the lights on.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Before & After: One Smart Change to a Very Little Kitchen
When Giovanni purchased his Brooklyn condo, the kitchen had barely any cabinet space — and almost no workspace to speak of. His kitchen was just a drab row of appliances stacked next to each other, adjoining an alcove where a combination washer/dryer sat, visible to the rest of the apartment.
Nancy Mitchell
May 3, 2019
7 Things You Can Do With the Space Under a Kid’s Bed
If you ask a feng shui expert about the space under a bed, they’re going to tell you to keep it clear — that putting anything in that space will block energy from circulating around your body when you sleep. So, basically, they’re going to tell you the exact opposite of what I’m about to suggest. But as a mother of two little ones, I find the space under kids’ beds to be prime real estate.
Julie Sprankles
May 3, 2019
Buy James Gandolfini’s Jane Street Apartment for $7.5M
One of the only hints this classic, light-filled West Village townhouse was owned by the late star best known as Tony Soprano might be in the office — where both the wall-to-wall carpet and the wingback armchair are covered in leopard print.
Melissa Massello
May 3, 2019
You’re Definitely Not Washing Your Bath Towels Enough
On National Laundry Day (April 15, if you’re curious), GE conducted a poll about the public’s laundry habits. Pertaining to bath towels, “50% of those polled live by the philosophy that ‘I’m clean when I use it’ because they all admit to using their bath towel at least five times before throwing it in the washer. An additional 14 percent use their bath towels more than eight times before it hits the laundry basket.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
What We Can Learn From The Japanese About Thriving In Winter
Fall has its beauty, but it can be a little too fleeting. Only too soon are we dealing with winter’s bare trees, slush, and seemingly neverending cold weather. If there’s a season where everyone deserves a little extra self-care, it’s winter. Japanese culture has an age-old way to combat the chill, which we could all learn a lot from.
Brie Dyas
May 3, 2019
Is Paintable, Removable Wallpaper Too Good to Be True?
Certain landlords, and almost all dorms, have strict rules against painting the walls, which is a major bummer if you love color. So imagine my excitement when I learned about removable, paintable wallpaper — I shouted “hallelujah” and quickly ordered some to find out if it was the answer to all our rental wishes and dreams. So, is this product too good to be true? One thing to note is that it took awhile to find actual removable paintable wallpaper.
Ashley Poskin
May 3, 2019
The New Property Brothers Spin-Off Has A Personal Twist
Is a plaid shirt the only dead give-away sign that helps you tell HGTV’s Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, apart? Well soon there’ll be another way to differentiate between the TV star twins — a wedding ring.
Marni Epstein-Mervis
May 3, 2019
Before & After: A Surprisingly Bold New Entryway on a Tiny Budget
Mila participated in a recent round of the One Room Challenge, but didn’t want to get overwhelmed by a major hard-core makeover. So, instead, she chose to redo the single wall just inside her entryway, which is also part of her living room. As is, the space was fine, but she was bored with the current gallery wall of photos, and wanted instead to make it as impressive as possible with just a little work and money. Her goal for the end of the project?
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Fly Like an Eagle on Steve Miller’s $16M Idaho Compound
If you love the great outdoors and going to the country for that Wild West lifestyle, then take your money and run to the listing agent for legendary musician Steve Miller’s 13-acre “gentleman’s ranch” in Ketchum, Idaho —which just hit the market as the region’s fifth most expensive real estate listing, ever.
Melissa Massello
May 3, 2019
The Swedish Word for “Man Cave” is Absolutely Perfect
I don’t know about you, but I am so tired of hearing about “man caves” and “she sheds” all the time. Don’t get me wrong—I’m totally here for people carving out their own spaces in their homes (personally I would love a separate room where I could just hang out and do crafts and practice my guitar and have alone time whenever I want it). But… why do we need to gender rooms? And why do they need to be so binary?
Brittney Morgan
May 3, 2019
You Should Keep Toothpaste in Your Laundry Basket—Here’s Why
Laundry isn’t just about washing dirty clothes so you have clean ones to wear. It’s about cleaning and maintaining your wearables and textiles so that they always look their best, whether that means making jewelry sparkle, getting stains out of the lining of a purse, or keeping shoes looking their sharpest. And there’s a simple way to have all those things: A tube of non-gel toothpaste.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019